Last week I attended some Aslib training on knowledge management. I had heard the term bandied around plenty and thought I had an idea as to what it entailed. Intially I went along with LVSC in my mind but found that the methods talked about could be particularly useful to Cascade.
So let me share…
Firstly a great quote from Francis Bacon (1597)
“But mere knowledge is not power; it is only possibility. Action is power; and its highest manifestation is when it is directed by knowledge.”
“So good information management involves maximising the value of information and turning it into knowledge, leading to more informed decision making.” (Information Matters Nov 2008)
There are two perceived types of knowledge:
Explicit knowledge: formal systematic – therefore easily communicated e.g. written instructions, scientific formula etc.
Tacit knowledge: highly personal – hard to formalise and therefore difficult ot communicate to others. Often deeply rooted in an action or a specific context.
The training discussed four models for managing knowledge
Exit interviews, Expertise directories, ‘lessons learned’ systems, communities of practice
The government are taking this all very seriously and released their strategy “Information matters: building government’s capability in managing knowledge and information” in 2008.
They say ”In the twenty-first century, information is the force powering our democracy and our economy. Both the private and the public sector increasingly rely on information and knowledge, and create value through their ability to manage these valuable assets.” (Sir Gus O’Donnell, Nov 2008)
What are we in the voluntary and community sector doing?
Filed under: Knowledge Management
